Reviews
Lost Soul/Rock & Roll
Joshua Rilko’s debut album, Lost Soul/Rock & Roll, is modern is all aspects of the word. It began as a Kickstarter project that exceeded the goal and has two distinctly different “sides” — one is bluegrassy and the other, while labeled “rock & roll,” really is more Americana-ish. A mandolin player, Rilko was formerly with…
Texas Bluegrass History: High Lonesome on the High Plains
In recent years there have been a number of books written that cover the history of regional bluegrass. Kip Lornell’s Capital Bluegrass focused on bluegrass music in the Washington, D.C. area. Tim Newby’s Bluegrass in Baltimore covered the legacy of bluegrass in that city, and—most recently— Industrial Strength Bluegrass, edited byFred Bartenstein and Cutis Ellison,…
The Complete Tune Playing Toolkit For 5-String Banjo: A Comprehensive Guide to Mastering Traditional Melodies
This new banjo instructional book by Jamie Francis could have easily been titled “Fiddle Tune Boot Camp for the 5-String Banjo.” The 120-page book is an extremely comprehensive approach to learning how to play fiddle tune melodies—including old-time tunes, reels, jigs, hornpipes, polkas, slip jigs, and airs (41 tunes in all)—on the 5-string banjo. …
Traitor
Marcel Ardans is right up front about his new album, Traitor, which he refers to as “alternative bluegrass.” Information with the album’s release states, “Marcel has no trouble abandoning bluegrass convention for the good of a song.” Ardans is best known for his YouTube channel “Lessons with Marcel” where he offers lessons in flatpicking guitar….
Brian Wicklund’s American Fiddle Method — Bluegrass Fiddle
“Bluegrass makes the world better.” This is how Brian Wicklund, creator of the American Fiddle Method, welcomes you to his newly developed online courses, Bluegrass I and Bluegrass II. Brian’s number one goal is to provide students with the tools to start jamming, now. He reminds us that jamming is a warm community of opportunity…
Highland County
Ranch King Records Tim McDonald is originally from Virginia, an Army Veteran and graduate of the Armed Forces School of Music where he was mentored and befriended by Byron Berline and others. After the Army, McDonald moved to Nashville where he has become a sought-after studio pianist, recording with artists Blake Shelton, Pam Tillis, Mark…